Christmas Countdown
by fyd818
Summary: Sasuke's on a mission in the days leading up to Christmas, and Hinata's depressed. But he's not planning to give her time to miss him too much, as she's about to discover. A twelve days of Christmas fic, one chapter posted daily. :Sasuke x Hinata:
1. Countdown Day 12 Hanabi

Disclaimer: I don't own_ Naruto_, nor any places, things, characters, or ideas therein. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto, Shounen Jump, Viz Media, TV Tokyo, etc., and not me. I am writing this fic for entertainment purposes only, not monetary gain.

Summary: Sasuke's on a mission in the days leading up to Christmas, and Hinata's depressed. But he's not planning to give her time to miss him too much, as she's about to discover. A twelve days of Christmas fic, one chapter posted daily. :Sasuke x Hinata:

Rating: K+

Warnings: Fluff, mostly. And a kiss under the mistletoe, of course!

Main Pairing: Sasuke/Hinata

Secondary Pairings: Neji/Tenten, Itachi/Temari, Shikamaru/Ino

**Author's Note:** When I decided I wanted to do a fic for Christmas, little did I realize it would turn into a twelve-days-of-Christmas thing. I was planning a cute little oneshot, but turning a novelist into a short story writer is like turning a lion into a housecat - it doesn't work unless you're a member of the Addams family. As far as the fic itself goes, this is at some point in the future - and in an alternate reality where the Uchiha massacre did not happen, Itachi and Sasuke thus did not leave the village, and the fourth shinobi war was never even _considered_. Sasuke is more laid-back in this fic, but he still has a bit of a rebellious streak that will seem familiar. I have loved every minute of writing this fic so far, and I hope it's as much fun for you all to read! Thank you so much for giving it a chance!

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***~Christmas Countdown~***

_.:fyd818:._

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***~Chapter I~***

_~Countown: Day 12: Hanabi~_

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"I'll be back by Christmas. Promise."

With those reassuring words echoing in her ears, Hyuuga Hinata made her way back home from the village gates. All around her, Konoha glowed with the beautiful lights and decorations distinctive of Christmas, colors which looked a little dimmer now since Uchiha Sasuke had left on a mission.

And though he'd promised to be home by Christmas, Hinata wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. She knew as well as any other ninja in the village how missions could go wrong, become complicated in the blink of an eye, and extend far past the promised time frame. She _wanted_ to believe he'd be back in time to celebrate Christmas with her, but she didn't dare hope for it lest she be disappointed.

As she made her way through Konoha's market district, signs displaying the number of shopping days before Christmas caught her eye. Though she had her own finished, she could see various friends and family members in the throng, along with countless other villagers, trying to get their buying done halfway early.

She thought about the neat pile of wrapped gifts sitting between the wall and the side of her bureau in her room, and couldn't hide her smile. For some reason, Hinata felt more excited about this Christmas than any other before. The usual songs sounded sweeter to her ears, the lights seemed brighter, the decorations more beautiful...

...At least before Sasuke left.

Shaking her head so hard she nearly dislodged the knit hat she'd pulled on to protect her head from the slight chill in the air, Hinata bit back her melancholy. Christmas was one of her favorite times of the year, and she refused to let her depression color her usual joy - not to mention that of everyone around her.

Finally, she entered the gates of the Hyuuga clan's massive estate. Though the outside of the walls were as barren as always, inside decorations stood everywhere, mostly thanks to the efforts of her countless cousins. Wandering down the wide avenue making up the main street of sorts for the estate, Hinata waved to one of her great-aunts, who was putting up some last-minute decorations. For a brief moment she thought about dropping by Neji's house to visit her cousin and his wife; at the last minute, she walked by, not wanting a repeat of the time she'd stopped by to ask a question and accidentally interrupted Neji and Tenten's newlywed happiness.

She hadn't been able to look either one in the face for two weeks, at least.

Upon entering her own house, decorated thanks to the efforts of herself and her younger sister, Hinata slid off her boots, holding them in one hand as she slid on some house slippers. Padding down the hall, she smiled at the two-tone garland she and Hanabi had painstakingly tacked in swags along the joint of the wall and ceiling on either side. It had taken the pair of them almost three hours, but the way the gold and silver glinted in the glow of the overhead lights made the time and effort worth it.

As she passed the kitchen, Hinata drew in a deep breath of cinnamon, a scent she enjoyed all year round, but especially associated with Christmas. She wondered if the cooks were busy making cookies, and if they'd taken the time to slip in a few rolls for her. A hint of chocolate also teased her nose, but she firmly went past the kitchen without peeking in. There was no sense in ruining her appetite, not when dinner was only an hour away.

Rounding the corner, Hinata came to an abrupt halt. To her great surprise she saw Hanabi sitting outside her older sister's bedroom door, a wrapped package in her lap and a huge grin on her face. Upon seeing Hinata, the younger girl scrambled to her feet and came toward her. "About time you got here," she huffed, a teasing smile on her face. Thrusting out her hand, she pushed the gift in it at Hinata until the other woman took it, then spun on her heel. "That's for you. Go open it right now. Have fun!" With a jaunty little wave, Hanabi hurried away and vanished into her room, firmly shutting the door behind herself.

Hinata blinked at Hanabi's closed door, then looked down at the package in her hand. Wrapped in pretty blue and silver paper, the gift felt slightly heavy, and certainly hard. Pushing open her bedroom door with the hand holding her boots, she dropped her footwear on the floor next to the door, then toed it shut behind her as she took the present in both hands.

Then she spied the label on the top right corner: _To Hinata, From Sasuke_. Just to the right of their names, a neat little "12" had been drawn and circled.

Confused, Hinata sank down onto one of the cushions by the low table in the center of her sitting room and plucked at the edge of the paper. She felt reluctant to tear it because the wrapping was so beautiful, but her curiosity got the better of her. With a few satisfying rips, she revealed her gift: a beautiful leather-bound book of poetry she remembered admiring through a store window on one of her and Sasuke's dates back in the summer.

"He remembered," Hinata said wonderingly. Setting the torn paper aside, she ran her free hand over the cover of the book, admiring the delicate tool work of ivy and roses surrounding the title. Gently, she opened the book, allowing the pages to fall open to the center, where a folded piece of paper caught her attention.

_What's this, then?_ Plucking it out, Hinata set the book in her lap so she could unfold the paper. In Sasuke's strong, bold handwriting, the following words were written:

_In order to find your next clue_  
_You must track down the inseperable two._

For a moment, Hinata stared blankly down at the words, confused. Picking up the book, she carried it and the clue across the hall to her sister's door, on which she scratched urgently.

Hanabi opened the door almost immediately. Still grinning, she glanced from the book, to the note, to her sister's face. "Figured it out yet?" she asked.

"Sasuke put you up to this?" She held up both the book and paper, feeling something warm and happy building in her stomach.

"He approached me a couple weeks ago - told me he wanted to set up a scavenger hunt and needed my help. He dropped that off yesterday, and told me to give it to you today when you got home from seeing him off at the gate." She nodded to the book, then the note. "It's a twelve-day scavenger hunt. There will be a note in with each of your presents; you have to figure each one out so you'll know whom to go to the next day."

Hinata started to say something, but Hanabi held up a forestalling hand. "You'll get no help from me, or anyone else, if that's what you're about to say. You have to figure out each clue on your own."

"That wasn't what I was going to say." Hinata re-read the clue, feeling a smile curl up the corners of her mouth. _Sasuke, how long were you planning this?_

Though often serious and unsmiling, Hinata knew Sasuke had a secret soft side, one to which only she was ever really privy. It crept out sometimes when they were together, especially if the two of them were alone. Even at that, though, she never would have thought he'd go to all the trouble to set something like this up, going so far as to compose rhyming couplets as clues for her to follow!

Hanabi closed her door again. Hinata turned and went back to her room, hugging the book and note close to her chest. This would be their second Christmas together as a couple. Last year, they'd been able to see each other every day, both _knowing_ they'd see each other on Christmas. But this year, even with Sasuke away on a mission, she felt more cherished and loved than ever before because of the knowledge he'd realized she'd be lonely without him. So he'd gone to all the trouble of setting this up for her. She couldn't _wait_ to see where all the clues led. She even hoped, secretly way down deep inside herself, that the last clue would lead her back to him.

Though she and Sasuke wouldn't be together for a while, she still had eleven days of his thoughtfulness to look forward to stretching before her.

This year's Christmas was looking better and better, after all.

***~To Be Continued~***

**Author's Ending Notes:** I was planning a cute little oneshot for my Christmas fic this year, but as you can see, that didn't work. But this was such a fun idea, I'm glad I decided to go for something longer, anyway, though the chapters themselves will remain fairly short. I really hope you liked this introductory chapter, thanks for checking out my fic, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for chapter two!


	2. Countdown Day 11 Kiba and Akamaru

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _Guest (1) _and _Guest (2)_ for your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who read the first chapter, and those who added this story to their alert and favorite lists! You all keep me inspired!

**Author's Note:** I don't really write much about Team 8 in general, so it was a great deal of fun to do this chapter. I love Kiba and Akamaru - dogs in general, really - so I had a blast having Hinata go the Inuzuka estate. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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***~Chapter II~***

_~Countdown: Day 11: Kiba and Akamaru~_

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When Hinata first woke the next morning, at first she thought the events of the day before had been a dream. Then she rolled over and saw the book of poetry lying next to her futon, the note with its cryptic clue sticking out of it.

Smiling, she got up and quickly finished her morning routine, bringing the book along with her as she headed for the dining room. As usual, Hyuuga Hiashi had already breakfasted and left for his office before sunrise, leaving Hanabi the only person to keep Hinata company as she sat down to her morning meal.

"Figured out your clue yet?" the younger girl asked, cradling her cup of steaming tea in both hands.

Hinata took a bite of her warm, gooey cinnamon roll before responding. "I think so," she said after swallowing. "I'll go over to the Inuzuka estate after breakfast."

"I knew you'd figure it out." Hanabi took a sip of her tea and smiled smugly. "Are you having fun?"

"Certainly! It was really clever of Sasuke to have come up with this. I still miss him terribly, but it eases the loneliness, following all the clues he set up for me." Hinata took a sip of her tea and rolled the warm, delicious liquid around in her mouth before swallowing it. "I can hardly wait to get the next clue and find out where it leads me next."

Hanabi grinned at her sister over the top of her teacup as she said, "You might want to finish your breakfast first, though."

"Oh, I was planning on it." Hinata reached for another roll, the taste of cinnamon blending nicely with the scent of it wooing her nostrils.

As soon as Hinata and Hanabi finished eating, the former bundled up in a jacket, scarf, and boots so she could set off for her teammate's family's estate. The cool nip in the air from yesterday had developed a distinct bite to it today, making her smile at the possibility of snow for Christmas. Though the Land of Fire went through a cool season every year, they rarely ever had a coating of the white fluff. This year, however, certainly seemed promising.

The last time they'd had snow for Christmas, she had been just a child and wound up sick from playing outside in it with Neji for hours. But her runny nose, sore throat, and aching chest from constant coughing had been totally worth it. In fact, thinking about snow now brought back those same happy feelings from her childhood.

Fortunately for her, the Inuzuka clan didn't live too far away from the Hyuuga. After only a few minutes of walking, the sound of barking dogs ushered her through the gates and onto the property, only slightly smaller than her own clan's.

Just inside the gates, Inuzuka Hana's veterinary practice stood with its doors open, affording Hinata a view of its busy interior. She poked her head in just long enough to see Hana, surrounded by her three _ninken_, talking to someone with the same stylized fangs as her own tattooed on his cheeks. Catching sight of Hinata, Hana lifted a hand in a wave and said, "Kiba's been expecting you, Hinata. He's up by the house."

"Thank you," Hinata replied. "Merry Christmas!" She waved and withdrew from the doorway, turning her steps toward the large house perched atop a nearby hill. Even from a distance, Hinata could already see Kiba and his horse-sized furry white companion wrestling around in the courtyard. She stopped out of range of their tussle, laughing as she waited for the pair of them to notice her.

It didn't take long. "Hey, Hinata!" Grinning broadly, Kiba came over to throw his arm around her shoulders in a casual hug. Akamaru, panting from his exertions, gave Hinata a doggie grin and deposited a sloppy kiss on her cheek, his usual greeting for her. "I've been expecting you. Hana send you up here?"

"Yes." Pulling out her last clue, she waved the paper in the air and said, "Sasuke's clue led me here."

"Yep, that's right." Kiba led her into the house, where they both paused to slide off their shoes. Barefoot, the pair padded down the halls to the massive family room, where a seven-foot tall tree stood in the corner, decorated with bright lights, slightly sloppy tinsel, and a lot of dog-themed ornaments. Leaning over, Kiba dug around in the pile of wrapped presents sitting under the tree before withdrawing a square package wrapped in gold-toned paper. "There ya go."

The gift tag had a circled "11" in the upper righthand corner. Hinata sensed Kiba and Akamaru watching her curiously as she eagerly unwrapped the paper, tossing it into the trash can her teammate thoughtfully held out toward her. Slitting the tape holding the box closed with one of her fingernails, she lifted the top and peeked inside.

"Oh!" She squealed in surprise at the sight of two big golden eyes staring up at her. It took her a breathless moment to realize they didn't belong to a live creature. Reaching in, her hand encountered softness as she lifted a stuffed animal slightly larger than her hand out of its confines. "It's adorable!"

Kiba's nose wrinkled as he frowned. "It's a _cat_!" he exclaimed disapprovingly.

He was right. With its gold eyes, pink nose, perked up ears, and soft fur, the little animal reminded her of Hina, one of Nekobaa's talking cats, all of whom she'd met when Sasuke took her with him on an informal supply-gathering mission for his family. She hadn't realized Sasuke had noticed her soft spot for the cat. How long had he looked to find a little stuffed toy which resembled the actual animal?

Hugging the cat to her chest, Hinata lifted her gaze to Kiba's bemused face and quietly agreed, "Yes, it is a cat. The Uchiha family often visit Nekobaa, a shopkeeper who shelters many cats. This one strongly resembles Hina, one with whom I bonded on a visit."

Kiba's expression softened slightly. "I suppose it's cute," he said gruffly. "For a cat," he quickly added when Akamaru whined and butted Kiba's shoulder with his massive white head.

Hinata laughed at the pair's antics. "Thanks, Kiba," she said.

Rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, her teammate motioned to the ribbon tied around the cat's neck. "Looks like your next clue's there," he said, deflecting her gratitude.

She'd been so charmed by the animal, she'd nearly forgotten the treasure hunt. Hurriedly, Hinata pulled out the folded paper tucked under the silver ribbon. Unfolding it with her thumb, she eagerly scanned her next clue.

_For the power of youth to be seen_  
_Seek out the lad dressed in green._

Tucking the note into her pocket with its fellow, Hinata stayed a few more minutes to talk with Kiba before leaving, still hugging her gift to her chest.

What exciting things awaited her the next day? She could hardly wait to find out.

_***~To Be Continued~***_

**Author's Ending Notes:**I love dogs, and for that reason, Kiba and Akamaru are a couple of my favorite characters in the series. It was fun exploring Kiba and Hinata's friendship, and of course coming up with all Hinata's presents and the clues which lead her from person to person are great fun, as well! Thanks for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again tomorrow!


	3. Countdown Day 10 Lee

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _rao hyuga 18_ for your wonderful, encouraging review! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - I get so excited every time I see a new alert in my e-box!

**Author's Note:** Despite the fact Team Gai is my favorite team, I really don't write Lee very often. I think it's because of his personality - it's kind of tiring writing him, since he's so hyper and excitable. But whenever I do write him, I usually wind up getting sucked in, because he _is_ fun to write. Tiring, but fun. So I had a great deal of fun writing this chapter, and I hope it's equally enjoyable to read!

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***~Chapter III~***

_~Countdown: Day 10: Lee~_

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Hinata felt a little, annoying tic in her right eye as she waited impatiently for Keiko, the head of the Hyuuga clan's expansive staff, to finish describing the upcoming week's plan to keep the estate running smoothly and efficiently. As the eldest female in the main branch's part of the clan, Hinata met with Keiko at the end of every week to go over the things just past, and anticipate and intercept any problems which might arise in the next.

In the pocket of her heavy sweater, she fancied she felt the newest clue burning through the fabric and into her skin. She'd almost instantly figured out Lee as the holder of her next present, just as easily figuring where she had to go to find him, and by association, it. But unfortunately, she'd been caught by Keiko before she could slip out of the house right after breakfast.

Already Hinata had been sitting at a low table in one corner of the warm kitchen for over two hours, the pot of tea between them having been refreshed several times as it cooled. Papers and scrolls littered the rest of the table's surface, their white surfaces covered in neat, precise _kanji_. The past week's reports lay to Hinata's left, while the upcoming week's plans rested on her right.

Hinata wanted to pick up all of them and pitch them out the window. Usually she enjoyed going over the household accounts with Keiko, whose sweet smile and affable personality reminded the Hyuuga heiress of her long-dead mother. But today, with impatience rasping along her raw nerves like hot little claws, every little delay felt like an entire day's worth of minutes. Was the number of mistakes in today's meeting the norm, or were the preparations for the upcoming holiday responsible for the thousands of new problems holding Hinata's back from her search? She couldn't tell; and at this point, she really didn't care. She only wanted to get this meeting over with so she could go find Lee and get her next present from Sasuke.

At the thought, Hinata felt another pang of loneliness strike her heart. She'd stayed up far later than she'd intended the night before reading the book of poetry he'd given her. When she finally fell asleep, she cuddled the little stuffed cat, which she'd named Hina after its lookalike. This morning, she'd left it sitting in a pride of place on her pillow at the head of her neatly made futon, watching over her room. Tucked under the pillow the book of poetry waited for her to finish savoring the verses it contained.

Later.

At long last, after almost five inordinately torturous hours, Keiko nodded her head decisively and started cleaning up the papers and scrolls. Even though Hinata wanted to bolt for the door, she forced herself to stay and help the woman clean up and organize the reports, not wanting Keiko to notice anything different about her. Thus far, the only person on the estate who knew of her treasure hunt was Hanabi (at least, as far as she knew); she tried not to talk about it around anyone else, somehow feeling it would ruin the magic of it all. In addition, she felt like each clue was another thread linking her to Sasuke, although each felt frighteningly thin at times. She missed him desperately, and hoped he would finish his mission quickly so he could hurry back to Konoha - and her.

Cleanup took another ten long minutes. Then she grabbed her scarf, coat, and boots and hurried out of the house before someone else could waylay her.

It took every shred of her self-control to keep her pace down to an unhurried walk. She waved to people she knew, nodded politely to those she didn't, and pretended to window-shop as she made her way through the marketplace at the center of the village, taking the straightest route she knew of to reach the training grounds Team Gai had long ago claimed as theirs.

Hinata activated her Byakugan as she approached the training grounds. Her bloodlimit allowed her to see chakra threads all over the fence, around trees, and even under the ground, where Tenten had set up various traps over the years to assist her team's training. Most of them were long ago activated or disarmed, but she spotted two or three live ones in apparently less traveled areas. Apparently all members of Team Gai had long ago accustomed themselves to the locations of these things, and avoided them out of habit.

Rock Lee was exactly where she expected him to be, doing one-armed pushups (supporting his weight only on his toes and the index finger of his left hand) in the center of the training ground. His boisterous voice shouted out numbers in three-digit figures, making her wonder how long he'd been at it - and how much longer he planned to keep going. His bowl-cut dark hair flopped over his forehead, giving her peekaboo glimpses of his large eyebrows and wide eyes. Despite the chilly weather, he wore his usual green spandex and orange leg-warmers, though he'd forgone his _chuunin_ vest.

Hinata stood patiently for a few moments, but when Lee went on counting without seeming to notice her, she finally ventured, "Lee?"

Stopping mid-number, Lee's head snapped up. He bounced up to a standing position in one rapid move she doubted she could have followed even if she'd still had her Byakugan activated. He stared at her in shock for a long moment, then cried, "Oh, there you are, the youthful flowered cousin of my eternal rival! You must be here for your Christmas present, which Sasuke entrusted to me before he left on his mission!" He whirled around and headed toward a nearby tree, beneath which a pack rested.

Feeling like all the oxygen in the clearing had been sucked away by Lee, Hinata blinked at his enthusiasm as her tired mind tried to work through the involved speech he'd just given. "I didn't mean to interrupt your training," she ventured.

Pulling a narrow, rectangular gift-wrapped box out of his pack, Lee hurried toward her. "No, no! You did not interrupt me at all. I have in fact been waiting for you, and had determined to do a thousand push-ups before you arrived." He presented the gift to her with a flourish, then frowned. "I only made it to eight hundred twenty-seven, so to compensate for not meeting my goal, I shall do a hundred laps around the village on my hands!" He nodded firmly, looking at the same time relieved and determined.

Hinata had never really known how to act around her cousin's teammate and self-proclaimed rival. She was accustomed to high-energy people, being on the same team as Kiba and attempting to spend a lot of time around Naruto in days long past; but Lee's overwhelming _exuberance_ for all things youthful always left her feeling slightly off-balance. She never knew quite what to say in response to his (and his role model's) waxing on about the subject.

"Thank you, Lee." She hesitated a moment before adding, "Good luck on those hand-stands." Then, unsure of what else to say, Hinata carefully tore the paper off her newest gift, absently tucking the wrapping into her pocket as she flipped what she realized was a frame around so she could see the picture it housed.

"_Oh_," she breathed, recognizing the image instantly. It had been taken earlier that summer on the beach, when her team, Sasuke's team, and their friends' teams had all been on a rare vacation at the same time. They'd all chosen to go to the coast, spending lazy days lounging on the sand and playing in the ocean.

In the picture, Hinata wore one of Sasuke's shirts over her swimsuit, her cheeks pink with a slight sunburn, a floppy hat on her head. Sasuke, still in his dark blue swim trunks, had picked her up and was carrying her piggyback style, sparing her feet from the hot sand between the water's edge and the towel she'd spread under the huge umbrella Ino had brought for the girls. The two of them had been caught in a candid shot by Lee, who had been carrying a new camera around and wildly taking pictures of anyone and anything who would willingly (or even _un_willingly) pose for him.

She looked up, noting Lee's proud grin. "I had completely forgotten about this picture."

"I gave Sasuke a copy of it after we got back. I was going to give you one, too, but he told me not to." Lee nodded at the picture, his white teeth gleaming in his wide smile. "I am so glad he let me have a part in giving you this memento of your love, the very picture of the springtime of youth!" He threw up one arm, as if celebrating a victory.

Hinata smoothed her finger along the edge of the frame, the colors echoing the golden sand and turquoise blue of the ocean in the picture. "I'm glad, too, Lee."

Reaching out, Lee slid his hand under the back of the frame and pulled out a piece of paper. "Do not forget your next clue," he said, holding it out to her.

She'd been so excited about the picture, she nearly had. "Oh, thank you." Taking it from Lee, she rested it against the picture. She flipped it open, wondering just where Sasuke's next clue would lead her.

_You cannot yet rest in your bower,_  
_You must find the deer and the flower._

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ I really do love Lee. He's just so - _fun_. Overdramatic at times, but that's just part of what makes him so funny. Even though Team Gai's my favorite team in the series, I don't really write Lee that much (and Gai even less). I don't know why; maybe it's because trying to keep with Lee's hyperactive personality tires me out. But he really is fun to write, so I had a great time typing up this chapter. I hope it was equally enjoyable to read, thanks for doing so, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next chapter!


	4. Countdown Day 9 Shikamaru and Ino

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _Guest (1)_, _Guest (2)_, _BekotaTheMonsterHuntress_, and _rao hyuga 18_ for all your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - I'm so happy you're all enjoying the story so much!

**Author's Note:** Good job to everyone who reviewed yesterday who guessed Shikamaru and Ino! I'm really excited about this chapter, it was one of my favorites to write. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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***~Chapter IV~***

_~Countdown: Day 9: Shikamaru & Ino~_

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To Hinata's surprise, as she left the house on the fourth day of her treasure hunt around Konoha, she had to add earmuffs to her usual clothing. The closer to Christmas they got, the colder the temperatures, making her more and more certain they'd finally see snow. She only hoped it would hold off long enough for Sasuke to get back - she didn't want him to have to try to get home during a blizzard. Or (more likely) a small snowstorm.

Her step contained a distinct bounce as she made her way through the marketplace. Though the cold had driven in most of the usual shoppers, a few had braved the chill and ventured out to do some close-to-last-minute shopping.

It didn't take her long at all to spot half of the pair she sought through the window of a fabric shop. Brightening, Hinata stepped inside, out of the cold wind, and called, "Ino!"

The blonde standing by the counter, paying for the beautiful soft brown knit scarf in her hand, turned and grinned when she saw who had called her name. "Hinata! I was just about to head over to the shop to take over for my mother, but I had to stop here first to get Shikamaru's last present." She tilted her head toward the scarf, which the shopkeeper was now boxing up and wrapping with the brisk moves of long practice. She rolled her vibrant blue eyes. "You would not _believe_ how hard it is to keep Shikamaru from figuring out his presents. He takes one look at them and lists them all off with perfect accuracy. And I _know_ there's no way he could have seen them before!"

Hinata giggled as Ino took the wrapped package and thanked the woman behind the counter. Joining her friend, the blonde pushed open the door, letting in a blast of cold air as the two of them left the shop. "Now I just have to hand this off to my mother to hide before Shikamaru meets me at the flower shop so we can give you _your_ present." She tossed her long, heavy blonde ponytail over her shoulder, revealing the rest of the deer pattern on her heavy black sweater. "So, are you having fun with your treasure hunt?"

"Definitely," Hinata replied with a nod. "I can still hardly believe Sasuke set all this up for me. But I have to admit, it's certainly easing the ache of missing him. I was so disappointed when he told me Lady Tsunade was sending him on a last-minute mission. And though he said he'd be back by Christmas..." she trailed off.

Ino nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean. On Shikamaru's and my first Christmas as a couple, I got sent on a mission. Though I made it back on Christmas night, and was still able to join in most of the celebration with our families, it wasn't the same. There's something about spending the leadup to the holidays with the one you love, not just the holiday itself."

"Agreed." She experienced a deep sense of relief someone else understood her feelings on the matter. As the two women entered the Yamanaka flower shop, Ino headed toward the back of the store. Hinata unwound her scarf and pulled off her earmuffs as her blonde friend called over her shoulder, "Mom, I'm putting Shikamaru's present under your tree, okay? I'll get it later to hide under ours and hope he doesn't figure it out."

Laughing, Ino's mother nodded a greeting to Hinata as she replied, "Dear, I don't think there's really much chance of that happening."

Reappearing, Ino pulled off her gloves as she sighed. "I know, but a girl can hope." Glancing up at the clock hanging on the wall above an attractive bouquet of hothouse roses, she clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Shikamaru is late, as usual. But in this case that's good - because I am, too. If he were here now, he'd have seen his present already."

As Yamanaka Kanae returned to her home, Ino pushed up the sleeves of her sweater and tied an apron over her clothes. "Feel free to look around while you wait," she said to Hinata. "I'll be right back here arranging some bouquets, but we can still talk."

Accepting her friend's invitation, Hinata wandered about the store, inhaling the myriad delicious scents of flowers. Thanks to the hothouses on the clan's estate, the Yamanaka were able to keep in stock popular flowers the entire year round, making them the most popular florist shop in the entire village.

Going over to the bouquet of roses she'd noticed earlier, she closed her eyes and inhaled their heady scent, enjoying the way the smell evoked good memories. Though Hinata's favorite blooms were sunflowers, and he knew it, Sasuke had gotten her a dozen white-and-red roses for their one-year anniversary. Hinata had saved one red and one white out of the bouquet and pressed them, preserving them under glass in a frame she hung on her wall. Sasuke had gotten her countless sunflowers before and since then, but those roses held a special place in her heart.

"You always have such beautiful roses," Hinata commented as she moved on to the section of the store reserved for holiday arrangements.

Ino twisted around on her stool to glimpse the bouquet Hinata had just been admiring. "Thanks," she said with a grin. "Thanks to the hothouses, we're able to keep so many varieties in stock over the entire year. Plus, on top of that we can keep coming up with hybrids as well. We're working on one right now we plan to call the Desert Rose. If everything turns out right - and it's looking like it will - the flowers will be a beautiful deep golden color, like sand."

Hinata felt her lips twitch as she admired a beautiful wreath dotted with holly and glitter-covered pinecones, centered with a giant red bow. She would have to pick two up before leaving - they were perfect to hang on the front gates and hopefully liven up the outside of the estate a bit. "I bet I can imagine who commissioned those."

Laughing, Ino clipped off a length of heavy gold velvet ribbon and began tying it into a fancy bow to put on the wreath she'd just finished. "I don't have to ask to know you guessed right."

The bell at the front of the shop rang, and Hinata turned, hoping to see Shikamaru. However, it was only Umino Iruka, who smiled at his former students as he picked up a pot of poinsettias and headed for the counter. "How are you two ladies doing?" he asked, setting down his purchase.

"Just fine," Ino replied, sliding off her stool and gonig to the cash register. "Hinata just dropped in for a visit, and to pick up a couple of wreaths from the look of it." The blonde winked as Iruka dug around in his pocket for money.

Wandering a little closer to the counter, Hinata nodded. "I really want to pick up a couple of wreaths to hang on the gates leading into the estate. We're all decorated inside, but the outside still looks so bare. I thought wreaths might brighten things up a bit." Some of her relatives might frown at the idea - the Hyuuga had a certain reputation to uphold, after all - but Hinata didn't care. She liked the idea, and she knew her sister and cousin would, as well.

Iruka handed a bill to Ino and waited for his change as he spoke to Hinata. "I think you're right. Got any plans for Christmas?"

Hinata ran her finger along the edge of the counter, wondering how much to reveal to her former teacher. "We're going to have the usual celebration at home on Christmas morning. Neji and Tenten are coming over to the main house. We'll open presents and then have a big meal with the rest of the family in the afternoon."

Accepting his change, Iruka eyed Hinata with his perceptive dark eyes. "Any plans with Sasuke?"

She should have known he would notice her omission and point it out. "He's out of the village right now, but he's hoping to be back in time for Christmas." There, that was a nice, diplomatic answer without giving too much away.

An understanding expression crossed Iruka's face as he picked up his purchase. "I see. If I don't see either of you before then, I hope you both have a Merry Christmas."

"You too," Hinata and Ino said, waving as he headed out the door. It had no sooner closed behind him than it opened again. Shikamaru slouched through, hands in his pockets.

"Sorry I'm late," he said to Hinata, then yawned widely before kissing the side of his wife's head.

Ino planted her hands on her hips - one of them still holding a pair of scissors - and eyed Shikamaru with a scowl. "You promised you'd be here half an hour ago," she said dangerously.

Shikamaru arched one lazy brow. "What? Kurenai was a little late picking up baby 'Suma." He yawned again. "Eighteen-month-olds are really exhausting to keep up with. I think I'm as ready for a nap as he was."

Features softening at the mention of Kurenai's son, Ino waved off Shikamaru's words and then indicated under the counter with the point of her scissors. "Grab Hinata's present for me, will you? I need to finish this bow." She turned quickly back to the wreath she'd been working on.

Leaning over, Shikamaru pulled a small square box out and handed it to Hinata across the counter. "There you go." He smiled, and Ino came to lean against his shoulder as the pair of them watched her open the gold-wrapped package.

As soon as the paper fluttered loose, she recognized the box underneath as one typically used to hold jewelry. Heart pounding, she lifted off the lid and let out a cry of excitement at what she saw inside.

A pair of beautiful sunflower earrings glittered up at her, deep golden beryl petals encircling a cluster of chocolate diamonds in the center. Lifting them up, she immediately took them off their velvet card and put them in her ears, marveling at how light and perfect they felt in her piercings. She knew this would be her favorite pair, more than likely only taking them off for missions.

"They look great on you, Hinata," Ino said with an excited grin. "As soon as Sasuke told me what he got you, I _knew_ it would be perfect. I could hardly wait to see them."

"Thank you both so much for taking part in this," Hinata breathed, returning to the box to pull out the next little folded paper in line.

_Though not your favorite color I think_  
_Next you must visit the pink._

After borrowing a piece of twine from Ino so she could tie back her hair, Hinata left the shop, smiling at the familiar sound of Shikamaru and Ino's comfortable bickering.

She touched one of her earrings again, smiling off in the direction of the gates through which Sasuke had left only a few days before. _Thank you, Sasuke. Please come home soon._

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ An extra little story about this chapter: a real-life experience inspired part of it. My father is _exactly_ like Shikamaru is, he can take one look at his presents (wrapped in boxes I deliberately use to try to throw him off-track) and he can guess what's in them. It's almost creepy. And the scarf is a reference to something which once happened to my mother, who bought him a scarf ... which he promptly guessed what it was after she wrapped it. It's frustrating - but it's great inspiration for stories. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you so much for reading it, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next one!


	5. Countdown Day 8 Sakura

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _rao hyuga 18_, _Chii_, _Guest_, and _BekotaTheMonsterHuntress_ for all your wonderful, encouraging reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story to their favorites and alerts - I feel inspired all over again every time I see a new alert in my e-box!

**Author's Note:** And we come to day 5, Sakura! This is one of the shorter chapters in the story, since admittedly she isn't one of my favorite characters. But I really, _really_ like Hinata's gift in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading it!

* * *

***~Chapter V~***

_~Countdown: Day 8: Sakura~_

* * *

The icy wind tore through the streets; flapping curtains, rattling doors, and turning poor Hinata's cheeks to two blocks of ice.

Tugging her hat down a little further over her head with one hand, Hinata captured a mittened handful of her dark hair and stuffed it beneath the collar of her coat. The sun was already setting on the fifth day of her hunt, but she knew Sakura had been on duty at the hospital all day. She'd waited until after dinner to make sure her friend would at least feel a little glad of company.

A fresh gust of wind pushed against her back and sent Hinata skittering down a narrow alley between two apartment buildings. Counting to the third doorway down, she opened the outside door and then hurried up the staircase inside to the fourth floor, where she proceeded to knock on the fourth door on the right.

Footsteps preceded the door opening. Haruno Sakura's tired face appeared in the doorway. As soon as she saw Hinata, though, she brightened. "I've been expecting you! Come on in out of the cold and warm up - I've got the heater on full blast."

Peeling off her boots, coat, hat, scarf, and gloves, Hinata relished the warmth of her friend's apartment. As Sakura headed for the little tree set up on a low stand in the corner, Hinata knelt at the table in the center of the room, relishing the warmth leaking out from beneath it. Carefully arranging a blanket over her legs, she asked, "How was your shift at the hospital?"

"Busy." Sakura set a wrapped package on the table next to herself as she knelt across from Hinata and reached for the teapot sitting in a special carved niche in the middle of the table. She poured Hinata a cup, then herself, before setting the pot down again. "I actually got called in late last night, so I pulled a double."

"I'm sorry!" Hinata felt heat creep up her neck and suffuse her cheeks. "If I'd known that-"

Sakura waved her hand and shook her head, her short pink hair brushing across her cheeks with the motion. "It's fine. I've been looking forward to giving this to you all week, so I wouldn't have missed it for anything." Picking up the present, she handed it across the table to Hinata.

"Thank you." Setting down her teacup, Hinata accepted the green-wrapped gift, admiring the shiny paper and the silver ribbon wrapped around it.

Propping her chin on her fist, Sakura watched her friend with her apple-green eyes. "My parents set up a treasure hunt for me one year for my birthday," she said. "I had a great deal of fun on it." She leaned forward slightly as Hinata pulled off the last of the wrapping paper.

"I've been enjoying mine so far," Hinata admitted. "I'm just glad I've got several days over which to do this. It feels like I've already been all over the village, with still more to come!" Slitting the tape holding the small white box closed, she pulled it open and peeked inside.

Grinning widely, Sakura nodded to the hand-blown glass bottle full of perfume Hinata pulled out of the box. "Team Kakashi was on a mission when Sasuke saw that," she said. "He disappeared for about an hour the last night before we came home, and I had a feeling that's where he was going."

Hinata spritzed a little of the perfume on her wrist, then closed her eyes and inhaled the delicate scents of vanilla flowers and lavender. The two intertwined perfectly, evoking a thousand images of her and Sasuke's time together.

At last, she opened her eyes and looked at Sakura again. "That explains how he got some of this," Hinata said. "I've been looking in shops around here for some, but everyone's been sold out for months. Several have told me their original source stopped making it, but they're trying to find a new place from which to get it."

"I've noticed several perfumes have disappeared from stores recently," Sakura agreed. She motioned with one hand toward the door to her bedroom, adding, "I used to wear orchid perfume, but it vanished. I found some soap in that scent, but no perfume. I've looked all over Konoha - even in some of the more expensive shops, where you have to pay just to darken the door - but no such luck."

Stroking the cool glass bottle with her fingertips, Hinata admired the teardrop shape as she subtly inhaled a whiff of the perfume again. "I didn't think Sasuke even noticed the perfume I like, even before I ran out and had to stop wearing it." _He's certainly far more observant of little details than I gave him credit for,_ went through her mind.

"Sasuke notices a lot more than he lets on." A hint of wistful pain entered Sakura's eyes, just for a flash, before it vanished again. Hinata knew her friend had fought jealousy for a long time when Sasuke started courting the Hyuuga heiress instead of his female teammate; but Hinata was grateful the pink-haired medic hadn't let it get in the way of their friendship. "He just never really bothers to mention those observations."

A new realization struck Hinata. This treasure hunt was making her notice a lot of things about Sasuke she hadn't previously known, prompting her to wonder how many other facets of his personality remained undiscovered. She knew him to be a splended ninja and an introspective person. He didn't really like to talk a lot, even after they became interested in each other, particularly not about himself. Despite what she'd learned about him over their time courting, she felt certain he was far more knowledgeable about her than she was of him. That insight made her a little sad.

Silently, Hinata made a resolution to herself: As soon as Sasuke got home from his mission, she would make it a point to get him to open up and tell her more about himself.

Leaning forward, Sakura nodded toward the box, which Hinata had set down on the table after pulling out the bottle. "So what's your next clue?" she asked, curiosity evident in her eyes.

"Oh!" Hinata had been so wrapped up in her thoughts, she'd nearly forgotten about it. Sasuke's gifts were so good, they kept distracting her from the fact she was really on a treasure hunt.

Setting down the bottle, she picked up the box and peeked inside, immediately seeing the familiar white piece of folded paper tucked down alongside the nest of tissue paper padding the bottle. Pulling it out, she flicked it open with her thumb and read the next clue aloud to Sakura.

_Though not the most sociable guy_  
_To this recluse next you must fly._

The two women swapped grins, each immediately knowing to whom the rhyming couplet referred. And Hinata could tell by the look on her friend's face Sakura was truly happy for her, their friendship truly safe.

She left only a few minutes later so the exhausted medic could go to bed. And though the wind continued to howl through the streets, poking at her with its icy fingers, she didn't feel the cold.

When Hinata reached her room, she set her bottle of perfume on her dressing table next to the little cat she'd gotten on the second day of her treasure hunt. After admiring the two presents for a few seconds, she went to curl up on a cushion next to her own heater and opened her book of poetry again, each breeze from her movement sending a whiff of her perfume to tease her nose.

As she lost herself in the next poem, she could almost hear Sasuke's voice in her head, reading each word to her.

And it made her smile.

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ Sorry I'm a little late with this update, but I just got back from seeing _Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug_ with my mom (who's actually also my beta, and the one who helped me come up with all the gifts and rhyming couplets featured in this fic). Hinata's gift in this chapter is actually one of my favorites in the whole story; though I'm allergic to perfume, I do still love it. Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again for the next chapter tomorrow!


	6. Countdown Day 7 Shino

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _rao hyuga 18_, _reneelg1963_, _Akumakisses_, _Guest_, and _DoItRight_ for all your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - I get so excited every time I see a new alert in my e-box, and I'm so happy you're enjoying this fic!

**Author's Note:** And sure enough, today's chapter is Shino! I don't really write him much - he's a very difficult character for me to write, and to be honest, with the whole bug thing he really creeps me out. But I couldn't do a story like this and not include him, since he's a member of Hinata's team, and I actually wound up really enjoying writing this chapter (bugs aside, of course). So I hope it's as enjoyable to read, and thank you for doing so!

* * *

***~Chapter VI~***

_~Countdown: Day 7: Shino~_

* * *

Hinata's breath fogged in front of her as she turned her steps towards her team's training ground. At least the icy wind from the day before had died down, making the air _seem_ warmer than the day before. Though she still wore boots and gloves with her coat, she'd been able to leave her scarf, hat, and earmuffs at home.

She trudged along a little tiredly. Hanabi had been up half the night coughing and sneezing. Even a middle-of-the-night visit by a medic from the hospital didn't help; the medicine the woman had provided made Hinata's sister sleepy, but didn't really do anything to alleviate her symptoms. But she'd made sure before she left the Hyuuga main house that at least Hanabi was finally, _finally_ getting some sleep.

Leaving one of the maids to watch over Hanabi, Hinata left her house much later than she'd intended to search out Shino for the next stop in her treasure hunt. Though Team Kurenai was technically on vacation because of the holidays, she knew the quieter of her teammates would still be out training. No matter what the weather or season, Shino could usually be found practicing to become a better ninja. Although otherwise complete opposites, in this dedication to improving himself at least, he resembled Lee.

It didn't take her long, once she reached the training grounds, to start seeing Shino's numerous insects flying around. She knew several of them were already headed to report her presence, and suppressed a tiny shiver. Even though she'd known Shino for years, training and fighting side-by-side with him during that time, his insects still gave her the creeps, but she never let on. Despite fairly frequent visits to Kiba on the Inuzuka estate, she tried to avoid going to see Shino at the Aburame clan's holdings to keep from being surrounded by any more bugs than necessary.

As she'd expected, Shino stood waiting for her in the center of the training grounds. The weak winter sunlight reached past the shading hood of his coat to gleam off his sunglasses, veiling his eyes from her sight as effectively as the high neck of his coat hid his mouth and nose.

"Hinata," Shino greeted her, his voice as low-toned as always.

"Shino." She stopped a few feet away, watching as Shino silently held up his arms to summon his insects back to himself. A dark, buzzing swarm formed at the armholes of his coat and then vanished, absorbed back into the Aburame's-

-Well, she'd rather not think about that part. "I thought I'd find you out here training. Were you out here yesterday, too?" She shivered at the thought. She'd done some conditioning training of her own, but in the warm comfort of one of the Hyuuga's many exercise halls.

"Of course." The little bit of skin visible around the frames of his glasses pinched, indicating a frown. "I always have to train, so I'll be ready in case I'm needed. That is, of course, if they don't decide to leave me here."

_Ouch._ Though years had passed since the Sound Ninja Four's failed attempt to recruit Sasuke into Orochimaru's ranks, Shino harbored sore feelings about the fact he hadn't been asked to go with the team Shikamaru put together to track them down. Hinata wondered how long it would take for Shino to let go of his grudge. "Of course," she echoed feebly.

"You look tired," Shino noted abruptly.

Hinata remembered the slight dark circles under her eyes when she'd checked her reflection before she left home. "Hanabi is sick. She barely got any sleep last night, and neither did I since I stayed up with her. A medic came and gave her some medicine. While it hasn't really helped her symptoms that I can tell, at least it makes her sleepy. She was resting when I left, but I'd like to get back to her soon." She hated to be rude, but at the same time, she didn't like being away from Hanabi. Hinata had been young when their mother died, but she had tried to be just as much a mother to the girl as an older sister. Sometimes she didn't succeed, but she would never stop trying.

"I hope she feels better soon." Shino reached into one of the many spacious pockets on his heavy coat to withdraw a flat square package. Holding it out toward his teammate, he said, "Sasuke left this with me for you, and told me to expect you today to receive it."

"Thank you." Accepting the gift, Hinata admired the pattern of blue snowflakes on the silver paper before eagerly unwrapping it, noting how light the box felt in her hands. She carefully folded the paper and stuck it in her coat pocket, not wanting to throw it away just yet.

Shino stood with his hands in his pockets, still as a statue, but she could feel him regarding her from behind his dark glasses. She glanced up at him for only a moment before pulling a long, shimmering lavender silk scarf from the now-open box. "Beautiful," she breathed. The fabric felt cool against her skin. As she draped it artistically about her neck, she stroked the soft folds of the accessory.

"It makes me think of spiders." Shino indicated the scarf with a nod of his head. At her questioning glance, he continued, "Spiders weave silk. It is a long and slow process, but quite rewarding in the end. Did you know our medics use special bandages made largely of spider silk to reduce the bleeding from incisions and other wounds?"

Hinata decided she'd have to be a little nicer to the creepy little spiders who found their way into her room during the warmer months. "Very rewarding," she agreed, sliding her hand over the scarf once again, secretly glad it was made of the regular kind of silk. Letting out a content sigh, she reached back into the box for the ubiquitous piece of paper holding her next clue.

With Shino looking on, she read aloud,

_Close to home you may stay_  
_This clue is not far away._

"Thank goodness," she breathed. "With Hanabi sick, I don't want to be gone long."

"Give her my regards," Shino told her after she thanked him and started to walk away.

"I will. Merry Christmas, Shino!"

"Merry Christmas, Hinata." He paused, and then added as she disappeared through the treelines, "And watch out for spiders."

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ As I mentioned above, Shino creeps me out, so I try not to write him much. It's not his personality or anything, but the bugs. I don't really like creepy-crawly things, so that gave me a natural prejudice against his character. But by the end, I found myself enjoying writing this chapter, which surprised me. And just a quick aside - the whole spider thing is a joke between me and my beta, _Mama Jo_, so that was kind of a shout-out to her to thank her for helping me come up with all the clues, gifts, and rhyming couplets for this fic. It's kind of sad that we're halfway through this fic already, but thankfully there's still more fun in the chapters to come, so we're not done yet! Thank you all for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you all again for tomorrow's chapter!


	7. Countdown Day 6 Neji and Tenten

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _reneelg1963_ and _Guest_ for your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - I'm so glad you're all enjoying this story!

**Author's Note:** And we come to the chapter containing my OTP. This is a very bittersweet chapter for me, seeing as Kishimoto killed off half my favorite pairing a year and two days ago - depressing. But I still love this pairing, and I probably always will. After all, isn't that what fanfiction is for - so our favorite characters will live on, even after the show/manga/series is over? _Anyway_, this is another of my favorite chapters to write, so I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

***~Chapter VII~***

_~Countdown: Day 6: Neji and Tenten~_

* * *

After another mostly sleepless night spent on a futon brought into Hanabi's room, Hinata appeared for breakfast bleary-eyed and yawning. Since Hiashi had already come and gone, according to his usual schedule, she had the table to herself.

Thankfully, Hanabi's high fever had broken in the dark watches of the night. Her nose had started running; she still coughed a lot, and a low-grade fever still kept her a little warm, but Hinata had a good feeling the worst was over.

While she munched her cinnamon rolls, Hinata mulled over her most recent clue. A peek outside had shown a layer of sparkling frost over everything; the snap of banners above the compound walls spoke of another blast of arctic wind joining the view. She could tell just by looking it was really cold again. She felt profoundly grateful she didn't have to travel halfway across the village for her next present.

As a matter of fact, she didn't even have to leave the Hyuuga estate.

Tucking her hair up into a twist, Hinata pulled her now-usual uniform of boots, scarf, earmuffs, gloves, and fur-lined coat on after she finished breakfast. She nodded politely to one of the members of the staff passing through the entry hall, then opened the door just a little and slipped through, closing it quickly behind her in an attempt to keep as much warm air in as possible.

Decorations sparkled from all sides, looking even prettier against the backdrop of frost, as Hinata hurried down the mostly-abandoned streets. There were few people out with her, most choosing to go about their duties inside, out of the cold wind.

Only a few doors down from the manor house where the main branch lived, a tidy little two-story house with dragon-shaped windchimes on the front porch greeted Hinata like an old friend. Tapping her boots on the welcome mat, she scratched on the front door and waited for someone to answer.

It didn't take long at all before Hyuuga Tenten opened the door. She quickly reached out to pull Hinata into the warm house. "I've been so excited, waiting for you!" the dark-haired woman declared. "I hoped you'd be able come this morning, rather than waiting until this afternoon."

Hinata peeled off her winter accessories and handed them to Tenten, saying as she did, "Hanabi is better - her fever's broken. Though she's still feeling pretty awful, she's turned the corner. I'm just glad this isn't a sickness that's going to drag out for a long while."

"Ah, to be that young again," Tenten said with a grin. Tucking Hinata's things away in the tall armoire next to the front door, she led the way deeper into the house. "I know we're not that much older than Hanabi, but it seems like people her age tend to bounce back faster from these sorts of things than we do." Raising her voice slightly, she called in the direction of the kitchen, "Neji, Hinata's finally here!"

Hinata's older cousin met them in the doorway of the sitting room, where a pretty Christmas tree sparkled in the corner. "Good morning, Hinata."

"Good morning, Neji," she greeted him around another yawn. "I'm sorry. I was up almost all night with Hanabi again. She's doing better now, but it was another long night."

Tenten slid past the cousins and hurried to the tree, where she picked up a rather large wrapped package from under the very front branches. She carried it over to the low table in the middle of the room, where all three settled down on soft, warm cushions.

"How are _you_ doing, Hinata?" Tenten set the present down between her and Hinata, pinning the younger woman with an intense yet caring look. "You're not getting sick, too, right?"

"No, I don't believe so." A slight chuckle escaped Hinata as she shook her head. "But if I do, I'll keep going with this treasure hunt if I have to crawl. I'm having so much fun, I don't want to have to quit early!"

"Oh, no! Rather than going to such extremes, you can still figure out the clues, and whoever it is can bring your presents to you," Tenten suggested.

"Even if that _would_ take all the fun out of it," Neji finished for his wife, obviously in agreement.

"Precisely. But for now I feel fine, if a bit tired - and _very_ curious." Reaching for the package, Hinata pulled it toward herself. She took a moment to admire the wrapping, as usual. This time, the pearlescent white paper was decorated with a holly pattern.

Neji looked on with a strangely impassive face, Tenten with an excited grin as Hinata unwrapped it. The smell of wood varnish teased her nose as she opened the cardboard box and peeked inside.

"_Oh_," she breathed on a sigh. From the box she pulled a beautifully carved keepsake box, the warmly hued, fine-grained wood carved with a miniature valley full of flowers and a waterfall at one end. She could practically smell the wildflowers and hear the roar of the water as she stared at the box.

Deep inside herself, she had a feeling Sasuke had made it himself. She'd never seen him doing woodwork before, but the scene was so similar to the place where they'd shared their first kiss, she just _knew_ he had to have carved it himself to get it so perfect.

"It's beautiful," Tenten said, her voice hushed in respect of the moment. As a master craftswoman herself - of metal, though, instead of wood - she always appreciated something so beautifully made.

"I think Sasuke made it himself." Hinata ran a slightly shaking hand over the lid of the box before opening it, admiring the velvet-lined interior. As she'd expected, a small folded white piece of paper stood out clearly against the dark purple velvet. Gently setting down the box, she picked up the next clue and opened it.

_Finding him brings you closer to your prize_  
_Just don't mention his size!_

The trio shared a chuckle over the clue before Tenten hurried out of the room to get a pot of tea, begging Hinata to stay a little while longer so they could visit for a while.

As soon as his wife was out of earshot, Neji looked at his cousin with his serious pale eyes, a grim expression on his face. "Sasuke is treating you right?"

Hinata blinked in surprise, then felt a knot in her stomach unravel. Ever since the restoration of their friendship after the _chuunin_ exams, Neji had gone back to being the older brother she'd never had. His overprotectiveness had especially reared up when he found out Sasuke wanted to court her: the younger Uchiha had shown some rebellious tendancies before, making Neji wary of trusting him. Hinata knew Neji had been keeping a subtle eye on his cousin's relationship, even though this was the first time he'd ever said anything to her.

"Yes," she replied, smiling. "I know Sasuke presents a front to everyone else. I know he's done some rebellious things in the past. I think it was because for a while he felt pressured to keep up with or even to outdo his brother, which caused some problems - like the whole mess with Orochimaru and the Sound Ninja Four. But he's grown a lot since then. I know he has treated me with every bit of the respect and love I've dreamed of ever since I was a child."

For a long few moments Neji continued to study her face, as if searching the very depths of Hinata's heart and thoughts to ascertain her veracity. Finally, the tension in his shoulders relaxed. Hinata could tell he felt better about her relationship now.

Tenten reappeared at that moment, carrying a tray with a teapot glazed with a red dragon pattern and three matching cups. Setting it down on the table, she smiled at her husband and Hinata, the sparkle in her chocolate eyes making it clear she knew about the conversation just past.

As the three of them sat together, talked, and had tea, Hinata felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. Tensions between her branch of the clan and Neji's were lower than they had ever been in generations past. For the first time, Hinata felt Christmas dinner would pass without the serious demeanors and high levels of tension present in the past.

The only thing which would make it better, Hinata thought wistfully, was if Sasuke were here, too.

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ Such a bittersweet chapter, this. Even though Kishimoto killed off half of my OTP a year and two days ago, I still adore the pairing, and I was happy to be able to include it in this fic. It was another of my favorites to write, and I hope it's equally enjoyable to read! Thanks for doing so, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next chapter!


	8. Countdown Day 5 Chouji

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to_ Faith-Huskers_, _rao hyuga 18_, _BekotaTheMonsterHuntress_, and _DoItRight_ for all your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story to their favorite and alert lists - I always get super-excited when I see a new alert in my e-box!

**Author's Note:** I am slightly jealous of Hinata's present in this chapter. And that's all I'm going to say for now. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

***~Chapter VIII~***

_~Countdown: Day 5: Chouji~_

* * *

The next day Hanabi, feeling much better, demanded an update from Hinata about the presents her sister had gotten while the former was sick. After showing her the scarf and keepsake box, Hinata once again bundled up in her winter gear and headed for the Akimichi estate. Another layer of frost covered the ground, crunching under her boots as she made her way along the streets. Once she got to her destination, the Akimichi matriarch told her Chouji had gone out to lunch with his teammates to their favorite barbeque restaurant.

Retracing her steps to Konoha's heart, Hinata wound her way through the marketplace until she found the place in question. Even before she stepped through the door, the smell of grilling meat tantalized her nose. Inside, the heat prickled against her chilled cheeks, slowly warming them.

The owner of the place welcomed her, then led her to the alcove where Chouji sat with Shikamaru and Ino. They all greeted her with smiles, and made room for her at the table. It had been a while since breakfast, so Hinata gratefully slid onto the empty cushion next to Chouji. The waitress brought an extra cup and another platter of meat, which Ino promptly scattered across the hot grill in the center of the table.

"How's the hunt going?" Shikamaru asked Hinata, his eyes drooping sleepily as he watched his wife expertly flip the slender pieces of meat.

"Very well." Hinata accepted a plate and pair of chopsticks from Chouji, then took a sip of her tea. "It's been a great deal of fun following Sasuke's clues all around the village. Yesterday I didn't have to go far, though - Neji and Tenten had that gift. But the clue with yesterday's present led me to Chouji today."

The referenced man smiled as he deftly swept several pieces of meat off the grill and straight into his mouth. "Did you stop by my house first?" he asked after swallowing.

"Yes. Your mother told me you'd be here." Hinata accepted a few slices of meat from Ino and picked up her chopsticks, subtly inhaling the fragrance of grilled meat. It had been a long, long time since she'd had barbeque, and she'd been hungrier for it than she'd realized.

"Even though Team 10 disbanded a while back, we all still meet for lunch," Ino said. Brushing her bangs out of her face, she took a bite of her own meat and rolled her eyes in ecstasy. "We can't really decide on one fixed day, since our schedules vary, but whenever we all have time, we meet up here."

"At least once a month," Chouji added. He spread more meat on the grill with the speed and grace of a card dealer at a gambling table.

"Team Kurenai still goes on missions a lot," Hinata admitted. "But even at that, we do the same thing - try to meet for a meal every now and then. The last time we met, it was here, but that was several months ago. Back in June, I think."

"Wow, that's been a while." Chouji stared at her with wide eyes. "How can you go that long without having barbeque?"

Hinata laughed softly and shook her head. "I'm not sure. But eating it now makes me realize how much I've been craving it lately." She took another bite, savoring the smokey flavor of the meat.

The four friends happily conversed all through the meal, updating each other on everything from family members to funny things that happened on missions. Ino told them all about the newest cultivars her clan were developing for different kinds of flowers, and Shikamaru shared a breakthrough his family had recently made in medicine.

As they sat lingering over tea enjoying the warm blanket of friendship, Chouji reached behind himself and picked up a big, awkwardly-shaped wrapped package from the floor. Setting it on the table in front of Hinata, he grinned and said, "Merry Christmas."

For a moment Hinata just stared at the present in awe, wondering what could _possibly_ be inside the wrapping for it to be so bulky and strangely shaped. After pulling the giant red bow off the top, she unwrapped the shiny green and gold paper. Understanding swamped her as the cellophane-wrapped basket underneath it was revealed.

Peering through the clear wrapping, Hinata saw a huge selection of tins of differently-flavored teas. She could smell them even through the wrapping and over the cooking meat. Her mouth water began to water in anticipation. There were so many variaties - how in the world would she be able to decide which flavor to try first? Jasmine tea, orange and spice flavored, peppermint, cinnamon apple, green, oolong, darjeeling: Where should she begin?

"Tea Country," Chouji said, interrupting her dazzled thought process. "Sasuke picked that up on his way home from a mission - or so he told me."

So all this tea had come directly from Tea Country. Sasuke hadn't gone into various shops around Konoha and then assembled the basket. For some reason, the fact he'd gone straight to the source made the gift even more special. "I can hardly wait to start trying all these flavors," she said. A good cup of tea, the poetry book Sasuke gave her, and a warm blanket - could life get any better? _Yes!_ a part of her whispered emphatically. _If Sasuke were actually here with me to share the joy he's created for me!_

Chouji looked as proud as if he'd come up with the idea himself. "I got my mother a gift basket of tea three years ago for her birthday," he said. "She's still got some left, and her basket was smaller than yours. She shared some of the tea with me, and everything I tried was delicious. This will last you a _long_ time."

Hinata could believe it. She _loved_ trying different kinds of teas, and she hoped Sasuke would be willing to experiment with her. "I bet every single kind is delicious." Dragging herself away from the tantalizing neat little tins of tea she could see inside, Hinata reached up to the top of the handle to untie the familiar folded slip of paper containing her next clue.

_Gardening is not her best skill_  
_Most of her flowers she kills._

Ino looked shocked for a moment, then chuckled. "That's true," she said, nodding. "I know who that's talking about, and she _does_ kill most of the flowers she tries to grow."

Smiling down at the clue, Hinata nodded. She knew whom the clue referenced. Though she saw the woman often, she would never forget or cease to appreciate how much her mentor had helped her grow - both as a person, and as a ninja.

It provided yet another testament to Sasuke's thoughtfulness that he'd included her in the treasure hunt.

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ I _love_ trying new herbal and fruity teas, so Hinata's present in this chapter is one of my personal favorites. And Chouji is such a sweetheart, I really do like writing him. It was fun writing Team 10 together, too - I love their dynamic in the manga/anime. Though Team Gai is my favorite, Team 10 is a close second. Thank you all so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for Day 4 in our countdown!


	9. Countdown Day 4 Kurenai

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _Faith-Huskers_, _Guest_ _(1)_, _Guest (2)_, and _rao hyuga 18_ for all your great reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story to their faves and alerts lists - you all are so amazing!

**Author's Note:** Sorry this chapter is a bit late. But I'm so glad I was still able to post it today! This is one of the shorter chapters in the collection, but it's really sweet and I enjoyed writing it. I hope it's as enjoyable to read! Thanks for doing so!

* * *

***~Chapter IX~***

_~Countdown: Day 4: Kurenai~_

* * *

The moment Hinata caught sight of cherub cheeks, big dark eyes, and the wide grin, she absolutely fell in love.

Yuuhi Kurenai hurried into the hall, her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and her cinnamon eyes alight with frenzy. "Asuma! Did you let Hinata in the door?"

Looking up at his mother with the most angelic expression Hinata had ever seen, Kurenai's son grinned widely, and said triumphantly, "Hina!" Then he turned his dark eyes back to Hinata, obviously seeking approval.

"He is, by far, the best doorman I've ever met in my life." Hinata managed to say the words with a straight face, though the urge to giggle threatened to choke her.

Kurenai's hassled expression eased as she picked up baby 'Suma, spun him in a circle, then settled him on her hip. "I knew you were coming by," she told her former student. "But I've been so busy trying to finish up decorating the apartment, wrapping presents, and keeping track of 'Suma that it seems like I'm always meeting myself coming or going."

"It seems like I'm always in a hustle around Christmastime, too, and I don't have a baby to look after," Hinata agreed. When 'Suma looked at her and reached out his little hands toward her pale eyes, a look of wonderment on his face, she took the boy from her former _sensei_ and blew a raspberry kiss into his neck.

The child laughed gleefully, clapping his pudgy hands together as he stared adoringly at her.

"You have a friend for life there for certain, as always." Kurenai tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and turned. "Please, come with me to the sitting room. Your present from Sasuke is there - ah, somewhere."

Exiting the short hallway leading from the front door, Hinata admired the decorations Kurenai had placed around her apartment. Though various fragile knicknacks she remembered from years past were conspicuously missing, thanks to the inquisitive little boy she held, the tree (decorated down to a point only slightly above 'Suma's reach), as well as the intertwined garland and lights framing the windows, added a festive air to the room. "Things look beautiful, as always."

Smiling, Kurenai pushed a roll of tape closer to the center of the low table in the center of the room on her way to the tree. Kneeling, she picked up packages, checked their tags, then set them aside as she replied, "Thank you. I didn't even bother to decorate last year, and I think I forgot how much work it is. And without-"

Hinata forced her expression to remain serene even as she watched pain flash briefly over Kurenai's face. She watched as the elder woman sat still for a long moment, obviously waging an internal war in an attempt to get her emotions back in order. This would be her second Christmas without Sarutobi Asuma, Team 10's former _sensei_, who had been killed by the Akatsuki not long after they found out Kurenai was pregnant.

Having witnessed what losing Asuma did to Kurenai nearly made Hinata turn down Sasuke when he first asked her out. She feared the risks inherent in growing close to him, then perhaps losing him to the Akatsuki, or an enemy shinobi, or any other number of things that could happen in the field. But when she'd opened up and talked to her friends about her feelings, they all urged her to go ahead.

And in the end, those she consulted were right. Though Kurenai still obviously missed Asuma, Hinata could not ignore or deny the joy and contentment in the other woman's eyes when she talked about their far too-short time together. She'd even said many times if she had to do things over, she would still have married him, even knowing what was going to happen to him.

Hinata only hoped she could show the same strength, if she were to wind up in the same situation.

"Ah, here it is." Kurenai stood up with a smile, a small square wrapped package in her hand. Though a hint of pain still lingered in her eyes, it wasn't as strong as it had been just a minute before. "I knew it was here somewhere, but one of 'Suma's presents was hiding it. Here, I'll take him back so you can open it."

After completing the exchange, the two women sat down at the table. Kurenai held her son in her lap, her arms loosely forming a cage around him. Reaching out, the little boy picked up one of the many soft stuffed toys lying on the floor, hugging the little fox toy to his chest and smushing his cheek against the top of the toy's head.

Smiling at the picture mother, son, and toy made, Hinata swallowed back the sudden longing swelling into her throat. A brief but vivid image flared into her mind: children running and playing, all with raven-dark hair, but some with the dark eyes of their father, and others with eyes as pale as her own. It was a pleasant image, indeed. But not one she should spend too much time focusing on, at least not yet...

Shaking off the feelings those images invoked in her mind, Hinata lifted her present and quickly tore off the paper. The box she now held looked vageuly familiar; it took her only a moment to recognize it as similar to the one in which she'd received the sunflower earrings she even then wore in her ears. Lifting the lid, she peered into the box and let out her breath on a long, awed sigh. The early-afternoon sunlight pouring in the windows to her left sparked off the jewels encrusting the pair of hair clips nestled against the black velvet.

Tilting the box slightly, Hinata admired the deep purple hues of the amethysts, which looked even more impressive against the lighter, almost velveteen purple of the charoite paired with them. She remembered seeing these, too, in a jewelry store Sasuke had pulled her into on the spur-of-the-moment back in the fall.

...Or, maybe, the move hadn't been so impromptu. He must have had the treasure hunt in mind even then, though not necessarily for the reason of him being on a mission, and wanted to see what caught her eye.

Pulling the clips out of the box, Hinata smoothed her hair back away from her face and nestled the jeweled pieces into place. Once her hair was anchored over her ears, she looked to Kurenai to get her reaction.

"Those are beautiful," the other woman breathed. "I've never seen their like before."

"Nor have I." Hinata smiled, knowing she'd be able to wear these often. Over half her wardrobe consisted of clothing done in varying shades of purple. With the dark amethyst and lighter charoite both in the clips, she would be able to wear them with nearly every single piece of clothing and still make them coordinate. "I can hardly wait to wear them when Sasuke's around to see them."

'Suma suddenly lunged forward in his mother's arms, his small fingers folding around a piece of white paper lying next to the jewelry box. "Hina dropped," he said importantly, holding it out toward Hinata.

Recognizing her next clue, Hinata smiled and accepted it from the little boy. "Thank you. I would have missed that if it weren't for you." Leaving 'Suma cooing proudly to himself, she unfolded the paper and eagerly read the next rhyming couplets.

_This pair from villages two_  
_Are guardians of the next clue._

Understanding struck Hinata immediately. _So Sasuke didn't just get my family involved in this little treasure hunt._ She had been wondering recently, since the number of presents awaiting her were quickly dwindling.

On the walk home a little over an hour later, Hinata touched one of her hair clips with gentle fingers. Of all the gifts she'd received thus far, these were tied at the top of the list with her earrings as her favorites.

But she held no doubts Sasuke still had more equally amazing things up his sleeve - or, in this case, up the sleeves of their friends and his family.

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ Again, so sorry for the lateness of this update - though I'm glad I still managed to squeak in the update today. I haven't written a lot of Kurenai since I finished up my story _Labyrinth_, but she's one of the sweetest characters on the show, and I really enjoy writing her. If you've never heard of charoite before (it's not really that popular of a gemstone, sadly), it's this beautiful lavender color with little patterns of white, and sometimes even black, in it. It's a gem of royalty, and I thought both it and amethyst fit Hinata very well. Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again tomorrow for he next one!


	10. Countdown Day 3 Itachi and Temari

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks: **goes out to _rao hyuga 18_, _ImCutePoison_, _xpurplegirlx_, _Faith-Huskers_, _Guest (1)_, _Sacrowhunter_, and _Guest (2)_ for making the last chapter the most reviewed one yet! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - seriously, you all are beyond amazing!

**Author's Note:** Even though I really, _really_ don't like Temari in canon, I actually really enjoy writing her, which is weird. Itachi/Temari is actually tied with another as my second-favorite _Naruto_ 'ship, so this chapter was one of my faves to write. And of course I couldn't write this chapter without diving into the whole Hyuuga vs. Uchiha _doujutsu_ conflict, so apologies for the slight melancholy tone at the beginning, but I promise it perks up. Thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope it's as enjoyable to read as it was to write!

* * *

***~Chapter X~***

_~Countdown: Day 3: Itachi and Temari~_

* * *

Though Hinata and Sasuke had been courting for almost two years, they tended to meet somewhere in the village instead of going to each others' estates. Tensions between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, Konoha's two most powerful _doujutsu_ users, usually ran high, dating back to the village's founding. Though Sasuke and Itachi were working hard to change their clan's prejudices, as she did with the Hyuuga, hoping their relationship would help smooth things over, thus far neither of them had seen much headway gained.

When Hinata reached the arched entry into the Uchiha clan's massive estate, she hesitated, even though the gates stood open. On the other side of the walls, people went about their lives in a manner similar to the Hyuuga. Some moved with the brisk purposefulness of duties to which they needed to attend; others paused to talk to brothers or sisters or cousins; and, most notably different from her own clan, children ran through them all, calling out to familiar faces as they chased each other and laughed.

Hinata wondered if any children she and Sasuke might have in the future would fit in so well; especially if any of them inherited the distinctive pale Hyuuga eyes. Would the children of the Uchiha (not to mention their parents) accept her children born with the Sharingan, but exile those with the Byakugan? And, on that line of thinking, what about the reverse? She hated the thought of her and Sasuke's children not getting along with Neji and Tenten's, simply because of their clan's prejudices.

No one seemed to notice her standing there, just outside the gates. In fact, Hinata felt a little ridiculous, as if she waited for an invitation when none would be forthcoming. Although Sasuke had invited her to come see him at his house at any time, and she'd taken him up on a handful of times, this was different. With Sasuke away on a mission, she wasn't going to his house to see him. Instead she was going to his brother's house, which was close to the heart of the estate. Walking the streets to the manor where Sasuke lived, knowing he was there, was one thing: going that close to the heart of the Uchiha's most powerful family without Sasuke nearby made her feel - nervous. Like an intruder, almost.

Just as she gave serious consideration to turning and walking away, a child around seven or eight years old skidded to a stop in front of her, looking up at her with his big, black Uchiha eyes. "You're Sasuke's girlfriend, right?" he asked.

Looking into the little boy's eyes reminded Hinata of Sasuke when they were both just starting the ninja academy. Though most of Hinata's attention centered on Uzumaki Naruto, she had definitely noticed Sasuke. With his pale skin, dark hair, and brooding personality - the exact opposite of exuberant, sunny Naruto - he really was hard to miss.

Realizing the boy had asked her a question, Hinata shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled. "Yes," she replied softly.

Grinning, the boy revealed three missing teeth. "Thought I recognized you. Sasuke's out of the village. Do you want me to tell him you were here when he gets back?"

Resisting the urge to ruffle the boy's hair - whose spiky style reminded her of Sasuke's, and made her think it must be an Uchiha thing - Hinata smiled wider and shook her head. "Actually, I'm here today to visit Sasuke's brother. Do - do you mind showing me where he lives?" Perhaps she would feel better walking through the estate if she were escorted by one of the Uchiha - especially one who looked so much like Sasuke.

"Sure!" Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled her through the gate. Not seeming to notice her hesitance, or even her pale eyes, he easily wove through the crowd of his relatives, towing her along. "My name's Ren," he said.

"Mine is Hinata." She nimbly avoided a woman carrying a huge basket with an apologetic smile, relieved when the other woman laughed and nodded a greeting to both Hinata and Ren.

"My father's Shisui," Ren said, drawing her attention back to him. "Itachi is my dad's best friend." He waved to another boy about his age, who was busy stringing garland along the railing in front of one house with a girl a little older than him. "I haven't seen you around much."

_He's a very forthright child._ Hinata admired the Christmas decorations around her as she responded. "Sasuke and I usually meet each other elsewhere in the village, when we have time to meet. We're both very busy ninja, though, so we just have to find time when we can."

Ren nodded sagely. "Makes sense." As they approached the center of the estate, Hinata recognized glimpses of the main house. But instead of continuing on, Ren pulled her to a stop in front of a comfortable-looking single-story house decorated simply with lights around the roof, and an evergreen garland enhanced by scarlet-and-white bows at the top of each swag on the railing of the porch extending along the entire front of the house.

It looked very ... _Uchiha_.

"Here you go," Ren said, still oblivious to her anxiety. He glanced at the front door and said, "I saw Itachi go inside on my way past earlier, so I know he's home."

"Thank you, Ren." Drawing in a deep breath, Hinata let go of the boy's hand and started for the front door.

Waving over his shoulder, Ren started jogging off in the direction from which they'd come. "See you later, Hinata! Hope you come back and visit soon!" He vanished around the corner.

_What a sweet young man_. Feeling a little more at ease, Hinata stepped up onto the porch and knocked on the front door. It opened only a few seconds later, startling Hinata with how quickly her knock was answered.

"We've been expecting you. Come in."

Suddenly feeling nervous, Hinata stepped into the house, subtly watching Sasuke's sister-in-law out of the corner of her eye as she divested herself of her boots, coat, and scarf. Hanging the latter two items on the coat rack next to the door, she faced Uchiha Temari in her stocking feet and waited for some indication of what to do next.

Temari, sister of Suna's Kazekage, had met Uchiha Itachi on one of her frequent missions to Konoha. When they fell in love and Itachi proposed to her, Konoha's and Suna's leaders got together and created a liaison position for her, so she could evenly split her time between her home village and her husband's. Recently, though, she stayed in Konoha for increasing periods of time, due to the expanding waistline her loose, heavy wine-red sweater couldn't quite hide.

"When's the baby due?" Hinata blurted out, anxious for something to say. She'd never really been comfortable around Temari, who was brusque, strong-willed, and socially awkward on the best of days.

Obviously surprised, Temari's hand went to her baby bump even as her expression softened. "March," she said. "Itachi thinks it will be a girl. My mother-in-law seems convinced it will be a boy. Sasuke said he doesn't want to say one way or the other for fear of being wrong."

Yes, that sounded like Sasuke. "And you?" Hinata ventured.

A rare smile lifted the corners of Temari's mouth. "I just hope he or she is healthy and happy, and grows up to be a powerful and strong ninja like his or her parents." Tilting her head, she motioned for Hinata to follow her. "Itachi's in the sitting room, and so's your present. Follow me."

Hinata trailed after Temari, her gaze on the blonde's four distinctive ponytails. As they moved deeper into the house, the scents of cinnamon, peppermint, and pine - things she automatically associated with Christmas - combined with a slight whiff of jasmine, which she recognized as Temari's perfume.

"Hinata's here," Temari announced as the two women entered the sitting room.

Sasuke's older brother looked up from where he knelt in front of a table covered with scrolls and writing implements. Itachi flashed Hinata a friendly smile even as his hands quickly flashed over the table, rolling up scrolls and gathering them into a neat pile to one side. "We've been expecting you," he said, rising.

Hinata bowed to Itachi before moving closer to the table. "I'm here a little later than I meant to be," she said apologetically. "I hope I haven't been keeping you both waiting long."

"Not at all," Itachi said, even as Temari reassured her with a, "Don't worry about it."

"I'm just getting ahead on reports and such so I can enjoy Christmas," Itachi said, motioning for Hinata to have a seat at the table. He briefly brushed his wife's shoulder on his way past her toward the tree. Temari's turquoise eyes followed his every move with evident fondness. "My father seems to think reports won't wait, holidays or no. But I don't agree with him."

Temari picked up the pot of tea sitting in the center of the table, directly over the heater underneath, which had been keeping it as well as the room in general warm. Opening the chest sitting next to the table, she withdrew three fresh cups and poured them all tea, handing Hinata's cup to her as Itachi came back carefully carrying a goodly sized package. After setting it down at Hinata's elbow, he settled down next to his wife and accepted the cup of tea she held out toward him.

"My father usually winds up doing reports on Christmas as well," Hinata said after taking a sip of the warm, fragrant brew in her own cup. "But thankfully he waits until after we eat dinner."

Temari's engagement ring, a simple but elegant design of white and red diamonds, flashed as she gently nudged a stray scroll out of her way so she could set down her cup. "My brother's the same way - except he barely waits until we finish opening presents."

"Are Lord Gaara and Kankuro going to be able to come to Konoha for Christmas?" Hinata asked politely.

"No," Temari said with a sigh. "But Itachi and I are going to Suna for New Year's, so we'll celebrate then." She didn't look like she minded too terribly much.

"Enough about us, though," Itachi said with a grin. Nodding to Hinata's present, he added, "Sasuke seemed particularly excited when he dropped that off before he left. I'm curious to know what's in it to make him grin like that."

Setting her teacup down out of the way, Hinata pulled the package closer and went about unwrapping it. The paper came off easily, and she realized why - it hadn't been taped to a box, like with most of the others.

Like the keepsake box she'd received on day seven, this one glowed warmly in the light. She ran her hand across its sleek top, where the kanji for her name had been painstakingly carved. Lifting the lid, she brightened at the sound of a popular lullaby about stars as she watched a delicate figurine of a woman dressed in a kimono and holding two fans spin around and around as if dancing.

"A music box," she breathed. "It's so beautiful." Every detail on the dancer, from her painted face to the flowers on her kimono, seemed alive. Hinata halfway expected the little figurine to come to life and step out of the box, ruffled and offended that she'd been miniaturized and confined.

When she finally looked up, she saw a slight smile on Itachi's face. "Sasuke's and my mother used to sing that lullaby to us when we were little," he said, his expression distant.

At his side, Temari hummed a few bars and nodded. "It sounds familiar, though I can't remember the words. I'll have to ask your mother to teach it to me, so I can sing it to our child." Absently, it seemed, her hand moved to smooth across her stomach.

"_Natsuhiboshi_," Hinata said. "_The Red Star_. My mother used to sing the same lullaby to me. And, after she died, I sang it to Hanabi." She hoped to be able to sing it to her own children someday as well: hers, and Sasuke's.

The three sat in comfortable silence for a while before Itachi cleared his throat and inquired, "So, where does your next clue lead you?"

Shaken out of her reverie, Hinata plucked the familiar white paper from the inside of the music box. Unfolding it, she read it quietly to herself before sharing it with Itachi and Temari.

_When around this exuberant fellow_  
_It's an effort! But try to stay mellow._

Though she gave no outward indication of it, Hinata felt the next present would be hard to face. Harder, even, than the Uchiha.

This would be the ultimate test of her own feelings.

***~To Be Continued~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ Congrats to everyone who guessed Itachi and Temari for this chapter! You all know my _Naruto_ ship allegiences really well... And a slight extra note: I know Masashi Kishimoto once said that if a Hyuuga and Uchiha had a baby together, that child would have one Sharingan eye and one Byakugan eye. But the concept really freaks me out, so I prefer to think the children would have either one or the other, not both at once. So whenever I write semi-canonically (which I hardly ever do any more), I lean that way when I have SasuHina. So I know it's not supposed to be that way, but I prefer it. Sorry if that bothers anyone. Thank you so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again for tomorrow's - Christmas Eve! I'm so excited!


	11. Countdown Day 2 Naruto

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _daydreamer102308_, _rao hyuga 18_, _xpurplegurlx_, _Faith-Huskers_, and _Guest_ for all your fabulous reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story to their favorites and alerts lists - I am so, so very grateful to you all!

**Author's Note:**Happy Christmas Eve (or, to those of you across the pond from America, Merry Christmas already)! This was a very - intriguing chapter to write, because even though I can't stand the NaruHina pairing, her crush on Naruto is so much a part of Hinata's character, I had to deal with it head-on. So it was a different experience writing this particular chapter, her closing the door on one chapter of her life (as it were) and then opening the door to a new one. I'll be quiet now and let you read the chapter now - hope you enjoy!

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***~Chapter XI~***

_~Countdown: Day 2: Naruto~_

* * *

Hinata woke with the dawn on the morning of Christmas Eve, tasting the palpable excitement in the air. Tonight, according to tradition, she and Hanabi would be allowed to open one of their presents from under the tree. Then Hanabi would spend the night in Hinata's room, where they'd stay up half the night giggling and theorizing what other wonders awaited them on Christmas itself.

After completing her morning routine, Hinata headed out to breakfast wearing the new forest-green sweater she bought specifically for this day. She greeted the servants already out and about in the house, lingering over breakfast before going back to her room to wrap a few final presents she'd gotten over the past week.

Not only did she know she was putting off going to get her next present; she knew exactly why. But that didn't encourage her to hurry. Hinata hadn't actively _avoided_ Naruto lately, per se. But a part of her doubted her own heart. She'd harbored a (not so secret) crush on Naruto for so long, she wondered if it still lingered, just hidden deeply beneath her (very strong) feelings for Sasuke.

Being in a relationship with Naruto's teammate meant she saw the loudmouthed, exuberant blond _shinobi_ quite a bit. But Hinata hadn't tried to converse with him past a polite greeting, and then only when pushed. She knew, logically, she was being ridiculous about the entire situation. She knew just as logically she would never _be_ in a relationship with Naruto, even if she forced herself to remain single for him the rest of her life.

But how could she continue on with Sasuke if even a _remote_ chance existed she still had _any_ kind of feelings for Naruto? Her hands, holding ribbon and scissors, slowly lowered to rest tensely in her lap as she contemplated the possibility.

At almost noon, a knock on the door to Hinata's suite preceded Hanabi's entrance by approximately three seconds.

"What are you still doing here?" the younger girl demanded. "You haven't gotten today's present yet, and don't try to tell me you have." She paused briefly to cough, a leftover from her recent illness. "Get moving, big sister! You haven't been this slow getting your other presents."

Hinata stared down at the bow on the last present she'd wrapped. Though there'd only been the four, she'd taken as long as she could wrapping them. They would be the fanciest under the tree, since she'd gone beyond the norm with ribbons tied in elaborate bows. She'd even, in one case, wrapped one of Hanabi's smaller presents in a box; then placed it in another, larger, box; wrapped it; and repeated the process four times. Hanabi would get frustrated, which would be fun to watch, but she'd done it just to put off going to see Naruto.

Wordlessly, Hinata reached into the pocket of her sweater, withdrew the next clue, and held it out to her sister.

Hanabi took it and quickly scanned it, her own pearlescent eyes narrowing when she reached the end. Lifting her gaze back to Hinata, she said, "So _that's_ why you're avoiding this. C'mon, Hinata, don't tell me you're _scared_ of him?"

Looking down at her hands, still clenched in her lap, Hinata slowly shook her head. "I'm not afraid of _him_," she replied softly. She'd never been afraid of Naruto, even when the rest of the village shunned him and feared him for being the Kyuubi's host. No, she'd never feared Naruto, and she never would. "I'm afraid of my own feelings for him."

Features so much like their father's softened. Hanabi knelt in front of Hinata. "Hey," she said softly. "How long have you been dating Sasuke now?"

"About two years," Hinata said. _Two years, three months, four days, to be precise._ But she kept that part to herself, half-afraid Hanabi would laugh at her.

"And how do you really feel about Sasuke?" Hanabi pressed. She pinned her older sister with a gaze stern beyond her years, obviously not willing to give up until she'd made her point.

"I love him." The words passed her lips easily, naturally. Hinata had realized that fact a long time ago. She didn't see it changing any time, sooner _or_ later.

Hanabi nodded firmly. "You wouldn't be able to answer that quickly and firmly if there were any doubt in your mind." Standing, Hanabi went to the door, pausing to deliver one parting shot over her shoulder before she exited. "Maybe you should ask yourself if you could have responded so definitely about Sasuke if you _did_ have some kind of feelings for Naruto." She vanished through the door, closing it firmly behind her.

"The wisdom of youth," Hinata sighed with a smile. _That sounds like something Gai or Lee would say. Little sister, when did you grow so wise - especially about relationships?_

Picking up the presents she'd wrapped, Hinata took them out to the tree in their sitting room. She arranged them with the rest before standing back to admire the overall effect. Then, drawing in a deep breath for courage, she put on her winter gear and left the house.

The familiar sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas engulfed Hinata from every side as she made her way along the streets. People hurried around her, all intent on doing last-minute errands before the shops closed at sundown.

Of all the restaurants in Konoha, only one stayed open late on Christmas Eve. Pausing outside the little booth, Hinata eyed the familiar short curtains hanging from the roof and then drew in a deep breath.

_Stop being a coward, Hinata. Just go inside._

Parting two of the fabric panels, Hinata stepped into the warmer air of the booth. Her eyes immediately went to the bright yellow and orange colors she always associated with Naruto.

He sat on one of the five stools lining the counter at Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite eatery. The seat to his right was open; to his left sat Sakura, then Hatake Kakashi, their team leader, and Sai, the quiet artist and former Root member who filled in for Sasuke when he was busy with clan business or away, as now, on a mission.

Naruto must have heard her enter, because he twisted on his stool and grinned at her. "Hey, Hinata!" he greeted cheerfully, a huge grin on his whiskered face. "I thought you'd be coming here. Have a seat and join us!" He patted the stool next to him expectantly.

The others greeted Hinata as she took the proffered seat. Teuchi, Ichiraku's owner, set a bowl of his famous ramen down in front of her with a smile and a quiet, "Merry Christmas, Hinata. It's on the house."

"Thank you." Picking up a pair of chopsticks, Hinata broke them apart before digging in. It had been several months since she'd eaten at Ichiraku. Now she realized she must have been instinctively avoiding the place she associated so closely with him.

Leaning forward in his seat, Kakashi asked Hinata, "Have you been enjoying your treasure hunt this far?"

Hinata quickly chewed and swallowed the bite in her mouth before replying. "Very much. I can hardly believe Sasuke put all this together for me before he left."

Naruto slurped up the last of his broth and slammed down the bowl, calling for another before turning to Hinata. "Sasuke's had this planned this for a long time," he told her. "A good thing, too, since he got called away on that last-minute mission."

"I know he's missed seeing your reactions," Sakura commented, pushing away her own empty bowl. "But he's supposed to be back tomorrow, right?"

Truthfully, Hinata had expected Sasuke back before now. He'd been gone eleven days. Though he'd promised to be back by Christmas - or even before - she was starting to wonder. If he didn't return, what would she do?

And what did he have planned for the twelfth day? She'd been halfway thinking he'd planned the twelfth day for himself, when he'd give her the present he'd gotten her for Christmas proper. But if he didn't make it back to Konoha on time...

"...there."

She blinked and turned to Naruto, staring into his large electric blue eyes as he stared back at her. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Naruto's nose wrinkled in confusion as he nodded to a place beyond her shoulder. "I said, your eleventh present is there, on the counter next to you."

Surprised, Hinata turned. She wondered how she could possibly have missed the bright red bow resting on top of the little bonsai tree sitting there. But the answer was obvious - she'd been more focused on her terror about her feelings for Naruto.

Leaning forward, Hinata studied the bonsai, marveling at how perfectly it had been trained. The gardeners employed by the Hyuuga to care for the clan's extensive gardens also tended bonsai in one of the estate's many greenhouses. This, however, was the first time Hinata had ever had one she could call her own.

She knew exactly where in her room she would put it, too. It would be the last thing she saw before she went to sleep at night and the first thing she saw when she woke up in the morning.

Though she loved the miniature trees, Hinata didn't know much about taking care of them. She made a mental note to talk to Ino soon. "My first ever bonsai," she sighed.

Then she finally noticed the little white note taped to the trailing ribbon of the bow. Swallowing hard, Hinata pulled it loose and held it in her hand for a long moment, wondering where her final clue would lead her.

Slowly, she opened it.

_As daylight fades into night_  
_Meet me by the tree decked with lights._

After she read it aloud to the others, Naruto grinned at her. Tipping his head slightly, he said, "Sounds like Sasuke _is_ planning to get back in time for Christmas. That'll be great."

Hinata smiled wistfully down at the note in her hands. All she really wanted for Christmas was Sasuke with her, his strong arm around her shoulders, his night-dark eyes gleaming with that little hint of humor only she ever really saw, his hand around hers as he tugged her toward the mistletoe...

Naruto's arm going around her shoulder pulled her out of her daydream. Hugging her to his side, he said, "You're going to have a great Christmas with Sasuke this year, Hinata - believe it!"

Though she felt warm and cared for by Naruto, a dear friend and the person to whom she'd always looked for inspiration, she didn't feel the creeping warmth of a blush rise to her cheeks, nor did the urge to faint fall upon her.

_Naruto was just a crush, though at one time I thought it true love. What I feel for Sasuke - now _that_ is true love._

Smiling, Hinata looked Naruto full in the face for the first time and said with confidence, "Yes, Naruto, I do believe it will be."

***~To Be Concluded~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ I've been enjoying writing and posting this story so much, it makes me sad to think there's only _one_ chapter after this! But thankfully, there _is_ still one more chapter after this, because I'm not ready to let go yet! Happy Christmas Eve, or Merry Christmas already to those of you across the pond! I'm really excited about tomorrow's chapter, so I'd better stop now before I give away any spoilers! Thank you all again so much for reading the story thus far, I hope you've enjoyed it, and I hope to see you all again tomorrow for the last, special Christmas chapter!


	12. Coundown Day 1 Sasuke

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

**Special Thanks:** goes out to _rao hyuga 18_, _BekotaTheMonsterHuntress_, and _Faith-Huskers_ for all your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who added this to their favorites and follows lists - I appreciate you all so very much!

**Author's Note:** Sorry for this semi-late update, but I had a busy Christmas morning, and by the time I got online to post the chapter - the site's login page was down! I kept getting an error message. But (late although it is), here is the final, Christmas day chapter of _Christmas Countdown_! I'm so sad the story's over, but I'm so grateful to all of you who took the time to read this, leave comments, and add this story to their favorites and follows lists! I hope you all have had a great Christmas, and I hope you have an equally wonderful New Year! Thanks again!

* * *

***~Chapter XII~***

_~Countdown: Day 1: Sasuke~_

* * *

In the normal course of things, on Christmas morning Hanabi - after keeping Hinata up half the night talking - would wake her older sister just as the first faint greyness of dawn began to lighten the darkness of the bedroom. This year, however, even once Hanabi fell asleep, Hinata only dozed in fitful snatches filled with snatches of dreams; in some of which Sasuke waited for her by the village Christmas tree, and in some he never came at all. So it was almost a relief when she heard her sister's excited voice saying, "Hinata! Hinata, wake _up_!" as a hand gripped and shook her shoulder.

_I'm awake already,_ she wanted to say, but that wasn't the way the tradition went. Groaning, she made a great show of prying open her eyes while grousing, "Hanabi, what time is it? When will you actually want to sleep till a _decent_ time on Christmas?" She faked a wide yawn, which quickly turned into the real thing.

Hanabi giggled and replied cheekily, "The twelfth of never," her usual response. "C'mon, big sister! You should be excited: It's Christmas morning! And on top of _that_, Sasuke should be back in Konoha today!"

_Should be. But what if he isn't?_ Hinata battled down the urge to mash her fingertips together, the remnant of the old timid, negative part of herself she'd struggled so long to change. To cover it, she said with patently mock asperity, "I'd be more excited if it were a more reasonable time of morning." Climbing out from beneath the warm blankets on her futon, she shivered and reached for her robe. "Is it just me, or is it colder than usual?"

Without answering, Hanabi padded across the room on slippered feet and threw open one of the doors leading out onto a porch overlooking the back gardens. "Ta-da!" she sang.

The dim glow of the lights scattered throughout the garden seemed brighter than usual, as if reflecting off something. Hinata let out a gasp of delight. "It _snowed_!"

A blanket of white fluff covered everything, its pristine paleness unsullied by footprints. (Though that, Hinata thought with a trace of excitement, would later change.) Icicles dangled from the roof of the porch, glistening with orangey hues from the lights in the garden.

Hanabi closed the door again when she saw her older sister shiver. "I can hardly _wait_ to go out and play in it," she said with a grin. "Think we can talk Neji and Tenten into coming out with us?"

Going over to her dressing table, Hinata picked up a brush and attacked the tangles in her long hair. "We'll have to wait and see," she said. Setting down the brush a moment later, she hesitated for only a moment before spritzing on a little of the perfume Sasuke had given her. "Speaking of, I wonder if they're here yet?" She doubted it - her cousin and his wife were probably still happily ensconced in their warm bed, under their warm covers, lost in the warm happy dreamland of sleep, where she wished still to be herself...

Grasping Hinata's hand, Hanabi dragged her toward the door. "I don't know - but let's go see!"

Laughing outwardly, Hinata let herself to be towed along in her sister's wake. But inwardly her nerves twisted tighter and tighter as she thought about what might - or might not - happen later in the evening, no matter how useless she knew her anxiety to be.

All she could do was deal with whatever happened - when it happened.

* * *

About half an hour before sunset, Hinata closed the door against the sounds of Neji's, Tenten's, and Hanabi's voices and laughter. Bundled up in all her winter gear, she trudged through the snow, breathing in the sharp, clear coldness of the air as she enjoyed the beauty of the whiteness against the Christmas decorations all around the estate.

Leaving via the front gates, Hinata made her way through the mostly-quiet village. She drifted past houses with their windows lit cheerfully from within; glanced into shop windows where decorations glowed, though the stores beyond were dark; shared a nod with a fellow traveler going the opposite way, his warm hat decorated with reindeer antlers.

At last Hinata reached the towering Christmas tree in the exact center of the village. The rest of the year, a fountain held pride of place in being the central meeting point of Konoha: A place where friends met to shop and hang out for the day; where teams assembled prior to beginning their next missions; where lovers met to enjoy an evening out together.

But for Christmas, the fountain was shut down so a massive tree could stand in its place. Topped by a huge, brilliant star shining like a beacon, the tree glittered with thousands of lights, its garlands and bows and ornaments shining in the multi-colored glow. Hinata stopped next to it and tilted her head up, feeling tiny next to gigantic nobility of it.

She huddled a little deeper in her coat as she watched the last of the daylight start to slip into the twilight of Christmas night. Despite the tension building steadily within her it had been a good day - Neji and Tenten showed up only half an hour after Hanabi woke Hinata, and they all met up with Hiashi in the dining room for breakfast. Then they retired to the sitting room, where Hanabi playfully pulled on a Santa hat before passing out presents.

As Hinata had expected, Hanabi got hilariously frustrated at her nested present, though she loved the lavender-tinged grey labradorite necklace and earrings she eventually unwrapped. Tenten surprised them all by pulling the same trick on Hinata. Her chocolate eyes sparkled as she watched her cousin-in-law unwrap box after box until she finally reached the set of custom-made kunai at the end.

Christmas dinner passed as Hinata hoped, with comfortable conversation flowing around the table. Even though Hiashi left the "young people" after the meal, claiming duties he couldn't abandon even on Christmas, she'd enjoyed spending time with Hanabi, Neji, and Tenten, the three people closest to her in the world.

Well, except for...

A sound behind her made her spin, her heart leaping excitedly into her throat. But disappointment swiftly set in when she realized it had been caused by the wind rustling the garland on the tree.

Tucking her scarf more closely around her neck and pulling her hat down a little more snugly over her head, Hinata made a circuit of the tree. It would be funny, she thought, if Sasuke actually waited for her on the _other_ side, which was impossible to see from where she'd paused. But when she completed the circuit and realized she was still alone, with full darkness descending upon the village, the sting of truth struck her heart.

Sasuke hadn't made it back home for Christmas after all. The eleven preceeding days, while exciting and wonderfully romantic, had raised false hopes for something she'd secretly feared all along was impossible.

_Five more minutes._ Rubbing her gloved hands together, Hinata stamped her booted feet and nodded resolutely. _I'll wait here for him five more minutes. And then, if he's not here..._

_...I guess I'll go back home._ She swallowed against a sudden tightness in her throat. Of course her family would know by the look on her face when she returned that Sasuke hadn't come, but she hoped they wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

To help stay warm, she circled the tree once, twice, and then a third time, and a fourth. The five promised minutes came and went; then five more: and another five (or ten) besides. Even though on a purely logical level she knew it wasn't his fault he hadn't come, his absence still hurt. In the midst of her growing worries about what might have delayed him, Hinata still felt a shameful little bit of betrayal; and terribly, terribly lonely. Sighing, she finally turned her steps toward home. Tears prickled her eyes, while her cheeks and nose felt numb from the cold.

"...nata!"

She stopped, wondering if the wind had just whispered her name. Turning her upper body, she reluctantly looked back toward the tree, the last little whisper of hope inside her rekindling...

...But no, she was still alone. The tree stood as a silent sentry in the center of Konoha, a shining beacon to friends, families, and a sweetheart who wasn't coming.

Hating the abandoned feeling festering in her chest, Hinata clenched her teeth and hurried toward home. She would take a minute when she got there to compose herself, then join her family and enjoy the rest of Christmas to the best of her acting abilities.

In a hurry and half-blinded by tears, Hinata missed the patch of black ice in her path. Her booted foot struck it and slipped, unable to gain traction on the slippery surface. Thrown off-balance, she windmilled her arms, trying not to panic even as she knew she was going to fall...

She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact of her body against the ground, not even her ninja reflexes able to help her keep her balance in this situation.

But instead of the ground, she fell against something hard with regularly spaced lumps; something utterly if unexpectedly familiar. Arms curled around her, catching her, then gentling into an embrace as Uchiha Sasuke pulled her back against his chest.

"_Tch_, I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I, Hinata?" His voice, soft and warm with amusement, tickled her ear - and her emotions.

"_Sasuke_..." She half-breathed his name, feeling tears of an entirely different kind burn her eyes. Twisting around in his arms, she threw her own around his neck, clinging to him as she drew in his familiar scent - weapons oil, and a clean, crisp smell like the air right after a rainstorm. To her own surprise, as well as his, she jammed her mouth onto his in a fierce kiss.

A chuckle rumbled through Sasuke's chest as he tightened his arms around her waist. "You didn't think I was coming, did you?" he murmured against her lips after the kiss ended.

Pulling back slightly, Hinata took in his apparel: his _chuunin_ vest, the weapons pouch still strapped to his leg, the handle of his _katana_ peeking above his shoulder. Obviously, he'd just gotten back from his mission. "_No_, I didn't. Oh, Sasuke," her voice wobbled as her tears spilled over, "I didn't know what could have delayed you: If it was just the weather, or if something had gone disastrously wrong with your mission-"

Tenderly, Sasuke brushed the tears from her cheeks and eyes with gentle touches of his lips. "Things ran a little longer than I thought they would. I expected to be back three or four days ago, but I hit a few - snags. I've been traveling pretty much all day and night the past couple of days to make sure I got here on time." He traced his finger, ungloved but still warm, down her cheek. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world, Hinata. I _am_ sorry I'm late, and that I worried you."

Hinata smiled up at him and shook her head. Striving to gloss over how shaky she still felt, she said with forced lightness, "I forgive you, I suppose." She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, feeling his chin come down on the crown of her head as his own arms slipped around her shoulders. "I missed you, Sasuke. Thank you for the treasure hunt - I can't begin to tell you how much it helped. But all I ever really wanted for Christmas was _you_, right here safe with me."

Kissing the top of her head, Sasuke gave her another gentle squeeze before stepping back. She bit her lip as she looked up into his pale face, finally noticing the dark circles around his tired black eyes. She felt another wave of fervent gladness that he was _here_ at last - alive, safe, and with her.

"Come back to the tree with me," he said, grasping her hand. "Your final present's actually there. Or it should be if Itachi remembered to put it where he was supposed to."

"Okay." At that point, Hinata would have willingly followed him to Kumogakure if he asked her to, just so long as they were together.

When they reached the tree, Sasuke pulled her to a stop next to it. Turning to face her, he took both her hands in his and said, "I've been thinking about this every free moment I had this past mission." The corner of his mouth kinked upwards ruefully, and then he admitted, "Okay, and I thought about it for a long time before that, even. But I've had this in mind for a while, and thinking about it is what helped me make it through the mission."

Hinata felt her breath catch in her chest as Sasuke, still holding her hands, sank down onto one knee. He looked up into her face, the most breathtaking smile on his handsome face. "Hyuuga Hinata, you have been a quiet but steady presence in my life for several years now. At first, I never thought I had a chance with you - not while you were pining away for that idiot Naruto." The fond smile on his face took the sting out of his words. Hinata couldn't help but smile back. "But I want you to know that I still want you in my life - now and always - but in a far more permanent way." Letting go of her right hand, he reached into the nest of branches next to him and withdrew a little box, unwrapped, which he held up to her. "So I'm asking you this now: Will you give me the best Christmas present I could ever ask for and agree to marry me?"

A deluge of images from the past few days showered through Hinata's mind - a mixture of truth and dreams, memories and hopes that all found their beginning and end in one person:

"Sasuke." She might have breathed his name, or just thought she did. But either way, his gaze sharpened. Those dark eyes, so different from her pale ones, stared up into hers, filled with hope and the mirror image of the dreams she knew were in her own.

Feeling a brimming happiness wash away all the doubts and fears that had so recently plagued her, she said softly, "It is you who have given me the greatest Christmas gift, Sasuke - more than the beautiful things you left with our friends over these past few days." Allowing the smile teasing at her lips to burst into life, Hinata sank to her knees in front of Sasuke and threw her arms around him. "Yes, Sasuke. A hundred, a _thousand_ times, _yes_."

Perhaps it was just her imagination. But Hinata could have sworn she saw twinkling dark eyes and a silver beard just above the gloved hand holding mistletoe over her and Sasuke's heads right before her fiancé kissed her: a deep, lingering kiss full of passion and promise. Then her imagined Santa, as well as everything else in the world - save for Sasuke - disappeared.

And Hinata's Christmas became, in the end, a very, very merry one, indeed.

***~The End~***

_**Author's Ending Notes:**_ Sorry for this semi-late update, but I had a busy Christmas morning, and by the time I got online to post the chapter - the site's login page was down! I kept getting an error message. I'm so sad the story's over - I had such a great time writing it, I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to let go yet! But even though it's over now, I am _so very_ grateful to all of you who took the time to read this, leave comments, and add this story to their favorites and follows lists! I hope you all have had a great Christmas, and I hope you have an equally wonderful New Year! Thanks again!


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